1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for improving ones ability to play a particular sport, and more particularly to devices to improve ones ability to play baseball, golf and other sports which involve the swinging of a club.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Baseball and golf, among other sports which involve swinging a club, require the development of specific muscles to facilitate the swinging movement. It is well known, for example, that, when a batter is awaiting a turn at bat, he or she will prepare by swinging a weighted bat so that the actual bat will seem light and easier to swing. A weighted bat, however, has disadvantages since it is actually the inertia of the bat which must be overcome and increasing the downward force of the bat due to gravity results in the development of muscles which are not actually needed for a proper swing and which may actually be detrimental to the swing.
Attempts have been made to provide bat training aids and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,492 to White discloses a baseball bat training device which has a bat shaped handle and fixed fins at the end of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,397 to Gruenewald shows another baseball bat training aid which has a bat shaped handle with fixed fins at the end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,785 to Occhipinti et al shows a tennis training aid which is in the form of a tennis racquet having a cover over most of the strings of the racquet to increase the swinging resistance of the racquet.
None of the foregoing devices provides the high level of resistance necessary to ensure an improved swing.